Sea Turtle Nesting at Gumbo Limbo

Gumbo Limbo Nature Center provides information about sea turtle nesting and hatching season which lasts Mar. 1 until Oct. 31.

Every morning during sea turtle nesting season, Gumbo Limbo Nature Center employees and marine turtle specialists survey sea turtle tracks and look for nests. After observing the tracks, the specialists determine which turtle species made the tracks. Once a nest is located, the specialists mark off the area with flagging tape.

“Our Sea Turtle Conservation Team is on the beach every single morning during sea turtle nesting season,” said David Anderson, conservation coordinator. 

“We mark all the sea turtle nesting activity that happens the night before,” said Anderson, conservation coordinator. “We also check on the existing nests to see if they’ve hatched out or not.”

During the 2020 nesting season, Gumbo Limbo Nature Center recorded that over 900 nests were found. The record number of sea turtle nests was in 2019 with over 1,300 nests. 

During the 2021 nesting season, five nests have been recorded so far. More nests are expected to be discovered as the season continues through this summer and fall.

Once a nest is laid, the sea turtles will hatch in two months. Hatchlings are brought back to Gumbo Limbo and they are released the next evening. This process helps conserve the hatchlings’ energies so that they are able to glide to the ocean.

For more information about sea turtle nesting, visit the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center website at www.gumbolimbo.org/nesting